Abstract: A collaboration system providing a guided procedure framework for handling business workflows which include non-persistent data. Data is copied from a business object linked to a database to a temporary business object that is independent from the database. Fields of a form are populated with data from the temporary business object. A workflow object including the populated form and guided procedures is provided to the user who initiated the workflow. After the user makes changes to the workflow and the data, the workflow object is relayed to a next recipient specified as having a task for the workflow. When all of the tasks necessary for the workflow are complete, data from the workflow object is integrated into the database.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing an interface to a data warehouse. In embodiments, data may be extracted from a form that was received at a computer system, and a determination may be made whether each of a plurality of fields in the form data match to data objects in a native data schema used by the computer system. For each field in the form data that does not match a data object in computer system, data received for that field may be stored within a part of a data structure that is assigned to that field of this form, and the data may be used at the computer system to generate a report.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for supporting text-based context links for application programs. An embodiment includes a first computer to maintain a database of data objects and a second computer to execute an application program that operates on a file having text elements. In an embodiment, the second computer is to execute a link program to access a data object on the first computer based on a user of the application program having used the application program to select a text element that is related to that data object.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for supporting text-based context links for application programs. In some embodiments, an application executing on a first computer system may receive a request to open a context link to a text element in a document. The application may determine, based on a list of context links, whether more than one data object is associated with the text element. If so, a list of data objects associated with the text element and distinguishing information may be displayed, a selection of a data object from the displayed list may be received, and a selection of an action relating to a context link for the selected data object may be received. In some embodiments, the context link list is created by parsing a document into text elements at the first computer, storing entries representing a plurality of text elements on a list, and transmitting the list to a second computer to determine in the second computer if the text elements are associated with data objects.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system for reserving a resource from a commonly available set of resources. A request from an employee to reserve a room in an office building at a date and time may be received at a first computer system. A reservation record that is associated with the requested room may be accessed in a database at the first computer system, and a determination may be made whether the room is available based on an indication in the reservation record of the room's status at the date and time requested. If the requested room is available, the reservation record associated with the requested room in the database at the first computer system may be updated to indicate that the room has been reserved at the date and time requested, and an account record associated with the requesting employee may be automatically updated to reflect a cost for the use of the reserved room.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a collaboration system and method that includes automatic notifications for tasks as they become active in a workflow. When a first task of the workflow is completed, the computer system receives a notification from a first operator indicating that the first task is done. The computer system then identifies a person, who is responsible for performing a next task in the workflow sequence, and automatically generates a new e-mail notification. The computer system may then send the new notification for the next task to the identified operator of the next task. In one embodiment, the next task may be e-mailed to the recipient and get integrated into the recipient's backend system when a send button is pressed. In other instances, the next task may be attached to an e-mail and further may be integrated into the recipient's backend system if the next task is scanned by a groupware server when the user is online.

Abstract: A system and method for integrating role-based data into a spreadsheet. According to one embodiment, a server receives a query request from a spreadsheet application on behalf of a user of the spreadsheet application, determines a role assigned to the user, executes a first query associated with the query request and not constrained by the role assigned to the user, executes a second query associated with the query request and constrained by the role assigned to the user, combines results of the first and second executed queries to form a first data set, and provides to the spreadsheet application the first data set in response to the query request.

Abstract: A method and system for time sheet reporting is provided. A draft electronic time sheet report may be generated for an employee. A query may be generated to obtain information, from a data records associated with different software applications, about activities performed by the employee during a reporting period. An amount of employee time associated with these activities may be calculated from the information obtained, and the electronic time sheet report may be prepopulated to include information obtained about the employee's activities and the amount of time spent on those activities. The prepopulated time sheet report may be transmitted to the employee by electronic mail.

Abstract: A method and system for integrating software application program documents is provided. A request to save documents in an document managements system may be received from application programs, with each document in a format native to the application program that requests that the document be saved. Text data may be extracted from the documents to be saved and converted into a converted data file that is in a common format that is not specific to any application program. The converted data files may then be stored in a memory.

Abstract: A software application program interface system and method is provided. A call message may be received that specifies a type of application program to be called from a calling application program that is executing on a computer system. It may be determined whether the computer system has any application programs of the specified type available for execution. If an application program of the specified type is available for execution on the computer system, an application call message may be provided in a format recognized by a particular available application programs of the specified type, and the particular available application program may be called using the application call message.

Abstract: A system and method for integrating data into a spreadsheet. According to one embodiment, a spreadsheet application provides authentication information to a data server by a spreadsheet application, the authentication information pertaining to a user of the spreadsheet application, receives query formulation data from the data server upon approval of the authentication information, the query formulation data provided in accordance with an authorization level determined by the data server to be assigned to the user, displays the query formulation data via a spreadsheet application user interface provided by the spreadsheet application, receives a query request from the user based on the query formulation data, provides the query request to the data server, receives a first data set as a result of the query request from the data server, and displays the first data set in a spreadsheet via the spreadsheet application user interface.

Abstract: A method for scheduling and approval of vacation requests providing conflict identification and resolution. When a manager considers a vacation request from an employee, conflict information and scheduling alternatives are presented to facilitate decision making. Information regarding other personnel working with the employee on projects is also presented. The employee also receives additional planning information.